diff --git a/cmd/rook/rook.go b/cmd/rook/rook.go
index 5b089ba00..f6518ab2f 100644
--- a/cmd/rook/rook.go
+++ b/cmd/rook/rook.go
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@ var (
 )
 
 const (
-	systemLogDir   = "/var/log/rook"
+	debugLogVar    = "ROOK_DEBUG_DIR"
+	logFileName    = "rook.log"
 	outputPadding  = 3
 	outputMinWidth = 10
 	outputTabWidth = 0
 	outputPadChar  = ' '
-	logFileName    = "rook.log"
 )
 
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -31,17 +31,7 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 }
 
 func Main() {
-	// set up logging to a log file instead of stdout (only command output and errors should go to stdout/stderr)
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(systemLogDir, 0744); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("failed to create logging dir '%s': %+v", systemLogDir, err)
-	}
-	logFilePath := filepath.Join(systemLogDir, logFileName)
-	logFile, err := os.OpenFile(logFilePath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0644)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("failed to open log file '%s': %v", logFilePath, err)
-	}
-	defer logFile.Close()
-	log.SetOutput(logFile)
+	enableLogging()
 
 	addCommands()
 	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
@@ -67,3 +57,22 @@ func addCommands() {
 func NewTableWriter(buffer io.Writer) *tabwriter.Writer {
 	return tabwriter.NewWriter(buffer, outputMinWidth, outputTabWidth, outputPadding, outputPadChar, 0)
 }
+
+func enableLogging() {
+	debugDir := os.Getenv(debugLogVar)
+	if debugDir == "" {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// set up logging to a log file instead of stdout (only command output and errors should go to stdout/stderr)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(debugDir, 0744); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("failed to create logging dir '%s': %+v", debugDir, err)
+	}
+	logFilePath := filepath.Join(debugDir, logFileName)
+	logFile, err := os.OpenFile(logFilePath, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_APPEND, 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("failed to open log file '%s': %v", logFilePath, err)
+	}
+	defer logFile.Close()
+	log.SetOutput(logFile)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/rookd/main.go b/cmd/rookd/main.go
index 099d654af..86d1b29eb 100644
--- a/cmd/rookd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/rookd/main.go
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.nodeID, "id", "", "unique identifier in the cluster for this machine. defaults to /etc/machine-id if found.")
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.discoveryURL, "discovery-url", "", "etcd discovery URL. Example: http://discovery.rook.com/26bd83c92e7145e6b103f623263f61df")
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.etcdMembers, "etcd-members", "", "etcd members to connect to. Overrides the discovery URL. Example: http://10.23.45.56:2379")
-	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.publicIPv4, "public-ipv4", "", "public IPv4 address for this machine (required)")
-	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.privateIPv4, "private-ipv4", "", "private IPv4 address for this machine (required)")
+	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.publicIPv4, "public-ipv4", "127.0.0.1", "public IPv4 address for this machine")
+	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.privateIPv4, "private-ipv4", "127.0.0.1", "private IPv4 address for this machine")
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.devices, "data-devices", "", "comma separated list of devices to use for storage")
 	rootCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cfg.dataDir, "data-dir", "/var/lib/rook", "directory for storing configuration")
 	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&cfg.forceFormat, "force-format", false,
@@ -75,9 +75,6 @@ func init() {
 
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&cfg.debug, "debug", false, "true to enable debug logging/tracing")
 
-	rootCmd.MarkFlagRequired("private-ipv4")
-	rootCmd.MarkFlagRequired("public-ipv4")
-
 	// load the environment variables
 	setFlagsFromEnv(rootCmd.Flags())
 
@@ -91,7 +88,7 @@ func addCommands() {
 
 func startJoinCluster(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	// verify required flags
-	if err := flags.VerifyRequiredFlags(cmd, []string{"private-ipv4", "public-ipv4"}); err != nil {
+	if err := flags.VerifyRequiredFlags(cmd, []string{}); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}